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MADD: Tie One On For Safety

MADD And Takata Launch Annual Tie One On For Safety Holiday Ribbon Campaign To Save Lives
Silver Ribbons Commemorate MADD's 25th Anniversary

DALLAS (Nov. 17, 2005) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Takata, the world's largest manufacturer of seat belts, today launched the 2005 Tie One On For Safety holiday ribbon campaign. This is the 19th year of the campaign and the third consecutive year that the organizations have joined forces to encourage motorists to tie a ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to drive safe and sober, and to always buckle up while in a vehicle during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday season. To commemorate MADD's 25th anniversary, the campaign ribbon has been issued in a special silver edition.

"The holiday season is a busy time on our nation's roads with a high incidence of alcohol-related fatalities," said MADD national president, Glynn R. Birch. "Drunk driving crashes are the most frequently committed violent crime in America, yet they can be prevented if the public would simply remember the three keys to safety before they head out the door to their holiday destinations: drive safe, drive sober and buckle up. Tie One On For Safety asks motorists to tie a silver ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to do just that."

Alcohol-related traffic deaths from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve dropped from 1,579 in 2003 to 1,316 in 2004. Unfortunately, the number of unrestrained and/or alcohol-related traffic deaths increased in 2004 over this same time frame from more than 2,100 in 2003 to 2,237 and nationally, there are still nearly 17,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities annually.

Bob Kittle, vice president of sales and marketing for Takata, said, "Takata is in the business of saving lives, and our passion is to reduce traffic fatalities by constantly educating people on the critical importance of wearing a seat belt. Ninety percent of the fatalities on our roads are caused by drunk drivers or failure to wear seat belts; since a buckled seat belt is the best defense against a drunk driver, supporting MADD is the right thing to do for Takata."

Consider these facts supporting why seat belts are the best defense against a drunk driver:

From 1975 through 2004, it is estimated that safety belts saved 195,382 lives, including 15,434 lives saved in 2004. If all passenger vehicle occupants over age 4 wore safety belts, 21,273 lives (that is, an additional 5,839) could have been saved in 2004. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2005)

Alcohol-impaired drivers are less likely than drivers without alcohol to use seat belts, and the higher their blood alcohol content (BAC) the lower the use of seat belts. (McCartt & Williams, 2004).

The higher the driver's BAC, the more likely that a child passenger will be unrestrained. (Quinlan et al, 2000)

Studies have found that states that pass a primary seat belt law increase average seat belt usage by nine to 14 percentage points. (Dinh-Zarr et al, 2001)

Tie One On For Safety is MADD's most recognizable and longest running national public awareness campaign. More than 6 million ribbons are distributed annually. In addition to picking up a ribbon, there are other ways communities can get involved this holiday season. Everyone can access MADD's free safe party guide with mocktail recipes and tips for hosting safe and fun parties and honor victims/survivors online. MADD will host a Candlelight Cybervigil of Hope and Remembrance from November 23 through January 2, 2006, to help families and friends honor those who have been killed or injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes. The public can light a "virtual candle" this holiday season and share a message to acknowledge their loss experience and support others who share in that loss.

"Drunk driving is a 100 percent preventable crime," Birch noted. "In 25 years, we have helped save more than 300,000 lives and prevented countless injuries with the help from leaders nationwide. We are especially grateful for the support of Takata this holiday season and for helping MADD raise awareness about the need for primary seat belt laws in every state." MADD aims to reduce drunk driving fatalities and injuries by 25 percent by 2008 with a primary focus on general law enforcement deterrence such as seat belt mobilizations and sobriety checkpoints.

Takata, National Presenting Sponsor of MADD's Tie One On For Safety ribbon campaign, is the world's largest provider of seat belts and a leading global automotive safety systems supplier. Takata's U.S. automotive safety headquarters are in Auburn Hills, Mich. www.takata.com

Founded in 1980, MADD is a non-profit organization with approximately 2 million members and supporters nationwide. MADD's mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. www.madd.org/toofs.

Contacts:

Misty Moyse, MADD National, (469) 420-4558

misty.moyse@madd.org

Rick Bourgoise, Strat@comm, (248) 649-8000, ext. 210

rbourgoise@stratacomm.net

SOURCE: http://www.madd.org/news/0,1056,10264_0,00.html

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MADD Kicks Off Holiday Campaign

MADD Fights Holiday Drunk Driving

Wilmington, NC - In an effort to combat the sharp increase in drunk driving fatalities that occur around the holiday season, a MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) group from Wilmington kicked off a special holiday campaign.

With almost 400 deaths in the state of North Carolina last year, the group has plenty of motivation for their efforts. The Wilmington MADD group paired with the law enforcement of New Hanover County for "Tie One on for Safety." The campaign motivates citizens to tie a red ribbon to their cars to increase awareness about being cautious on the roads during the holiday season.

November 18, 2005

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MADD President Glynn Birth Applauds Delaware Enforcement

MADD President Glynn Birth Applauds Delaware Enforcement
By Ben Penserga Daily Times Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- It took almost 20 years, but Glynn Birch finally has the chance to say thank you.

In 1988, Birch's young son Courtney was walking across the street to get ice cream when he was struck by a drunken driver going 70 mph. The boy -- three months shy of his second birthday -- was dragged 150 feet before the car stopped and was killed instantly.

In the following months, Glynn Birch's local Mothers Against Drunk Driving helped him through the grieving process up until the driver, who had a blood-alcohol level of .26 and had three prior drunken-driving convictions, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

But throughout the entire process, Birch never got to acknowledge the police officers who responded to the scene on May 3, 1988, and helped prosecute the case -- until Friday at the MADD Ribbon Kickoff and Law Enforcement Recognition Breakfast.

"I think back to all the missed opportunities to thank law enforcement," said Birch, who was recently selected as the first-ever male MADD president. "But I'm getting that chance now."

Birch told the crowd of police and prosecutors at the Fountains Weddings and Conference Center in Salisbury that one of the advocate group's main goals is strengthening ties with law enforcement.

And hosting an event that recognizes law enforcement officials from all nine counties on the Eastern Shore goes toward that, said David Elzey, victim advocate for MADD's Eastern Shore chapter.

"It's to show our appreciation for police getting drunken drivers off the road," he said. "It also means a lot to the victims that have been helped by (police) over the years."

Friday's event also serves as the beginning of their holiday ribbon program that urges motorists to tie the MADD ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to be safe on the roadways and especially to buckle up.

Birch urged police to keep up their high level of vigilance.

"Please continue the work because it is making a difference," he said.

Anyone interested in participating in MADD's ribbon campaign should call 410-742-6233.

Reach Ben Penserga at 410-845-4648 or bpenserga@salisbury.gannett.com.

Originally Published November 19, 2005

Tags: MADD